Dáil Election Candidates

Anyone 21 years or over, on or before polling day, and who is an Irish citizen, can run for election to the Dáil. A candidate’s nomination paper must be submitted with:

(a) a Certificate of Political Affiliation (confirming that a candidate is a candidate of a political party registered in the Registrar of Political Parties), or

(b) (i) statutory declarations by 30 assentors, registered as Dáil electors in the relevant constituency, or

(ii) a deposit of 500 euro

The period for receipt of nominations commences at 10am on Saturday 18 January and ends at 12 noon on Wednesday 22 January.

Candidates may nominate themselves or be nominated by a Dáil elector for the constituency. Nomination forms may be obtained from the returning officer. The forms are prescribed by the Minister in Statutory Instrument No. 481 of 2019.

Candidates should obtain the Certificate of Political Affiliation from their political parties.

The Statutory Declaration, to be completed by Assentors, is prescribed by the Minister in Statutory Instrument No. 481 of 2019. It is also available from Returning Officers and registration authorities.

The candidate or proposer is responsible for ensuring that the completed nomination paper is delivered to the returning officer before the closing time for receipt of nominations at the election.

New spending limits and reimbursement amounts apply to candidates in Dáil elections. These changes were given effect through the Electoral Act 1997 (Variation of Monetary Amounts) Order 2024, announced on Monday 21 October 2024.

Election spending incurred by a candidate at a Dáil election must be below the following limits:

• €38,900 in a 3-seat constituency
• €48,600 in a 4-seat constituency
• €58,350 in a 5-seat constituency

These spending limits apply to all expenses incurred and payments made in providing property, goods or services which are used for electoral purposes during the period commencing on the date of the issue of the writ and ending on polling day, both dates inclusive.

A statement of election expenses must be reported to the Standards in Public Office Commission within 56 days of polling day.

• A candidate who is successfully elected may be reimbursed the actual expenses they incur, up to a maximum of €11,200.
• An unsuccessful candidate whose votes exceed one quarter of the quota in his or her constituency may be reimbursed his or her actual incurred expenses, up to a maximum of €11,200.

Read the Electoral Act 1997 (Variation of Monetary Amounts) Order 2024.